From fostering a pair to keeping them

[SunTruth]

Hello all,

I do not know if you remember me, long time not coming here due to sad reasons.

Anyway I have some news. For several days now we were fostering two canaries, 1 male and 1 female. We learned that the owner will not be able to keep them anymore (a very nice person, I will not get into details), so we decided to keep them with us.

I feel there are possibilities we might do mistakes so I have some questions you people could eventually help.

For now, each of them is in a separated small cage. We would like to get them a bigger cage, but we are not sure if they can be together in the same cage or if they need a different one. I am afraid they might fight or mate. What do you think we should do? Get a big cage for both of them, or one for each (but it will be smaller).

Also I have read that for them the horizontal length of the cage is more important than the vertical one. Is it true?

Finally, is it adviced to let them free when we are home?

Thank you

 

[sunnysmom]

Congrats on your new birds. I am afraid I don't know very much about canaries, but yes in general having a cage wider is more important than height.

 

[Pixiebeak]

Congratulations!

 

[fluff86]

Hello all,

I do not know if you remember me, long time not coming here due to sad reasons.

Anyway I have some news. For several days now we were fostering two canaries, 1 male and 1 female. We learned that the owner will not be able to keep them anymore (a very nice person, I will not get into details), so we decided to keep them with us.

I feel there are possibilities we might do mistakes so I have some questions you people could eventually help.

For now, each of them is in a separated small cage. We would like to get them a bigger cage, but we are not sure if they can be together in the same cage or if they need a different one. I am afraid they might fight or mate. What do you think we should do? Get a big cage for both of them, or one for each (but it will be smaller).

Also I have read that for them the horizontal length of the cage is more important than the vertical one. Is it true?

Finally, is it adviced to let them free when we are home?

Thank you

If the male and female canary were together originally and there were no issues between them I would keep them together. I'm not sure what country you are in but here in the UK its not breeding season for canaries until spring/summer time and they will only mate if they have a nest box or nest pan. If there is no nest box/pan in there cage then they wont breed.

A larger cage is always the best, the bigger the better. they like natural branches of different thicknesses this ensures that there feet stay in good shape and keeps things like bumble foot from developing. They also like to wash themselves in the water dish, getting a bigger but shallow water dish is good.

Canaries like a varied diet, there main diet is seed mix but they will need some greens like broccoli. Hang the broccoli next to a perch, always wash it before giving it to them. They will also need cuttlebone. They like a bit of boiled egg which is packed with nutrients for your canaries, they also love finely chopped spinach, and a piece of apple. Giving them a varied diet ensures good health of your birds. They also love crushed dried meal worms.

 

[fluff86]

In regards to the cage, I find its best to build your own with wood and wire mesh. There are all kinds of things you can also turn into bird cages like an old chest of draws or an old wardrobe if you don't fancy building one from scratch.